Various types of medical electrical leads for use in cardiac rhythm management systems are known. Such leads typically extend intravascularly to an implantation location within or on a patient's heart, and thereafter coupled to a pulse generator or other implantable device for sensing cardiac electrical activity, delivering therapeutic stimuli, and the like. The lead typically includes one or more electrodes at or near their distal tip, which electrodes are configured to contact the adjacent cardiac tissue for effective stimulation.